Rotary engine

ABSTRACT

A rotary engine incorporating a housing wherein a cylindrical center cavity is formed to contain a cylindrical piston and radial vanes extending therefrom that divide the center cavity into equidistantly spaced firing chambers. The cylindrical piston is journaled as an eccentric to an off-center axle, and is induced by sequential combustion of a fuel-air mixture in each firing chamber to move eccentrically in a circular path. The offcenter shaft to which the cylindrical piston is journaled extends off-center at a normal angle from one side of an enlarged portion of a drive shaft, which drive shaft is in turn rotated by the eccentric movement of the cylindrical piston and the off-center shaft journaled thereto. The cylindrical piston of the invention is arranged to be supported within the housing center cavity on one side by spaced reaction bearings, and by the output shaft on the other, and incorporates expansion seals arranged in the piston sides and along the radial vanes for maintaining the individual firing chamber integrity, which radial vanes are arranged in spaced radial slots formed in the cylindrical piston to act as both firing chamber end walls and as valve heads for controlling chamber fuel and air intake and exhaust.

States tent 1 1 1111 3,812,828

Griffiths 1 May 28, 1974 1 RoTARY ENGINE 57 ABSTRACT [76] Inventor:Franklin E. Griffiths, 1494-8 S.W. A rotary engine incorporating ahousing wherein a cy- Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah 841 15 lindricalcenter cavity is formed to contain a cylindri- I cal piston and radialvanes extending therefrom that [22] 1973 divide the center cavity intoequidistantly spaced fir- {21 1 Appl. No.: 332,343 ing chambers. Thecylindrical piston is journaled as an eccentric to an off-center axle,and is induced by sequential combustion of a fuel-air mixture in eachfir- [30] Foreign Apphcanon Prmmy Data ing chamber to move eccentricallyin a circular path. Feb. 17, 1972 Japan 47-16623 The 0ff cemer ShahtoWhich the cylindrical piston is journaled extends off-center at a normalangle from [52] US. Cl 123/845, 418/88, 418/89, one Side of an enlargedportion of a drive shaft Which 418/61 418/147 drive shaft is in turnrotated by the eccentric move- [51] hit. Cl... F02b 55/14 ment of theCylindrical piston and the 0ff center Shaft [58] F'eld of Search 123/8458'01? journaled thereto. The cylindrical piston of the inven- 418/59 61163, 89 tion is arranged to be supported within the housing center cavityon one side by spaced reaction bearings, [56] References cued and by theoutput shaft on the other, and incorporates UNITED STATES PATENTSexpansion seals arranged in the piston sides and along 1,525,364 2/1925Brett l23/8.45 the radial vanes for maintaining the individual fi g1,841,841 1/1932 Munn chamber integrity, which radial vanes are arrangedin 2,295,! 17 9/1942 Koester.... spaced radial slots formed in thecylindrical piston to 3,312,201 4/ 1967 (313509 act as both firingchamber end walls and as valve 3,447,513 6/l969 Schneider 123/847Primary Examiner-Clarence R. Gordon heads for controlling chamber fueland air intake and exhaust.

7 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures ROTARY ENGINE BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THEINVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to rotaryengines capable of translating eccentric movement of a circular pistoninto a useful rotary output.

2. Prior Art Of recent years developments in the field of internalcombustion engines have been directed away from the traditionalpiston-type engine towards rotary engines, such as the Wankel engine.Some of the advantages of such rotary engines are that the engine can beconstructed to have lesser dimensions and weight, and involve fewermoving parts than a similar piston engine, and yet be capable ofdelivering a comparable or better power output.

The Wankel engine, in its most elemental form, involves a single firingchamber wherein a single essentially triangular shaped piston isarranged to rotate through a full circle. The present invention, unlikethe Wankel, employs a housing wherein a single circular piston istranslated within a plurality of firing chambers through an eccentriccircular path, rather than through a full circle of rotation.

The piston translation of the present invention is certainly distinctfrom the full circle of piston rotation of the Wankel engine, and istherefore clearly not anticipated by the Wankel or Wankel-type engines.My earlier US. Pat. No. 2,695,597, however, discloses a fluid enginethat functions somewhat like the rotary engine of the present invention,in that it involves a cylindrical piston axially connected to movewithin a cylindrical cavity through an eccentric circular path to aneccentric. The fluid engine of my aforesaid US. Pat. also, like thepresent invention, incorporates radial vanes therewith that divide anengine cavity into a plurality of separate chambers, and arereciprocated with piston movement back and forth over the inner walls ofthe cylindrical cavity. The radial vanes of my aforesaid patent are,however, unlike the radial vanes of my present invention in that eachincorporates a valve head across an end thereof that is flexibly coupledat a normal angle across the radial vane end, and incorporates sealingmeans therewith to maintain the integrity of the individual firingchambers. Additionally, unlike my aforesaid fluid engine, the abovedescribed valve head is moved by the piston back and forth within anappropriate seat formed in the housing cylindrical wall, and will cantsufficiently, with respect to the individual radial vane during such, tomaintain a top surface thereof in constant sealing engagement againstthe seat such that inlet and exhaust ports within the individual seat,that communicate with the engine exterior, are sequentially opened andclosed.

Neither the fluid engine of my aforesaid patent nor any device within myknowledge employs the radial vane, piston, and valve head sealingarrangements of my present invention for maintaining the integrity ofthe individual firing chambers. nor does any device within my knowledgeemploy radial vanes like those of the present invention that serve asboth firing chamber end walls and valve heads for selectively openingand closing inlet and exhaust ports.

Seats are shown in U.S. Pat. No. l,734,433 formed in the housing of anengine that, while they might appear to be somewhat like the seats of myengine housing, are for containing guide rods extended thereacross thathave slides arranged to travel thereover. The shape and arrangements ofthe seats shown in the aforesaid patent are. therefore, only incidentalto the vane arrangement shown therein, and do not anticipate the presentinvention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a principal object of the presentinvention to provide a rotary engine consisting of a housing wherein acylindrical cavity is formed to accomodate a cylindrical pistontranslating through an eccentric or circular path that is axiallyconnected to an output or drive shaft to provide a continuous rotationthereto.

Another object is to provide a rotary engine capable of producing anefficient rotational output involving a minimum of moving parts thatincorporates an arrangement of radial vanes spaced around thecylindrical piston sliding in radial slots therein, which radial vanesact as both chamber and separators, and as the valve heads that travelwith cylindrical piston movement back and forth over a valve seatselectively opening and closing chamber exhaust and inlet ports.

Another object is to provide sealing means for maintaining the integrityof the sub-chambers or firing chambers formed between the individualradial vanes.

Still another object is to provide valve heads for the individual radialvanes that are capable of canting with respect to the individual radialvanes, so as to maintain a constant valve head engagement with the valveseat.

Still another object is to provide an oil circulation systemincorporated with the rotary engine of the present invention for bothcooling and lubricating the rotary engine moving parts.

Still another object is to provide a rotary engine that is simple toconstruct and will operate efficiently, producing an exhaust outputtherefrom that is low in pollutants.

Principal features of the present invention include a housing formedwith a cylindrical center chamber cavity therein. A drive shaftprojecting at a normal angle from the side of an enlarged center portionthereof is journaled axially through approximately the center of onehousing wall such that a second off-center shaft, extending from theenlarged center portion of the drive shaft opposite to the drive shaft,is arranged within the housing center cavity and is journaled axiallyinto the center of a cylindrical piston, forming an eccentric therein.The cylindrical piston is journaled to the offcenter shaft and, whenmoved within the center cavity, travels in an eccentric circular pathalong the center cavity wall, inducing a rotation of the off-centershaft journaled thereto. The cylindrical piston eccentric circular pathof travel has a radius that is equal to the distance between the centersof the off-center and drive shafts.

Radial vanes are positioned with spaced radial slots in the cylindricalpiston and, when the cylindrical piston is moved eccentrically, willmove back and forth as the piston radial slots slide up and downthereon. The ends of the radial vanes are supported on their lower endsby cam surfaces, opposite thereto on a center shoulder extending fromthe housing wall into the cen ter cavity through the center of whichshoulder the drive shaft is journaled with the vane upper or top vaneends arranged as valve heads that travel back and forth within seatsformed in the housing center cavity cylindrical wall. The radial vanesdivide the center cavity space between the outer circumference of thecylindrical piston and the cylindrical center cavity wall intoindividual sub-chambers, whose respective internal areas cyclicallychange as the cylindrical piston in translated eccentrically through itscircular path. The back and forth travel of the individual radial vanevalve head ends selectively open and close inlet and exhaust portalsformed in the individual housing valve seats.

Threaded openings are preferably formed in the individual seats toaccommodate spark plugs, or like spark producing means for providing atimed spark to ignite a combustible mixture within the individualsubchamber, functioning as individual firing chambers. Ignition of whichcombustible mixture causes an expansion of the gas therein thattranslates eccentrically the cylindrical piston away from the housingchamber cylindrical wall and along its circular path, inducing rotationof the off-center shaft and the connected drive shaft.

The valve head portions of the individual radial vanes of the presentinvention are connected normally across the tops of the radial vanes soas to be capable of pivoting or canting with respect to the radial vaneto compensate for displacement of the individual radial vane from anormal angle with the valve seat, insuring that a close sealed conditionis at all times maintained between the valve head and seat. The valveheads further include sealing means associated therewith capable offilling the space between the valve head and radial vane top toconstantly maintain the individual firing chamber integrity.

Expansion seals are provided with the cylindrical piston and radial vanesides for contacting the housing cylindrical cavity side walls, withsimilar expansion seals included between the cylindrical piston radialslots and radial vanes therein, that maintain the individual subchamberor firing chamber integrity.

Roller bearings are included with the cylindrical piston extendingnormally from the side thereof opposite to the drive shaft, that arearranged to travel within circular guide tracks formed as cylindricalholes in the opposite housing end wall. The roller bearings controlcylindrical piston travel to within its desired eccentric circular path,preventing unwanted piston wobble.

The cylindrical piston of the present invention is preferably formedhaving a continuous hollow center portion that receives a circulatingoil supply there through to dissipate heat produced by combustion withinthe individual firing chambers. Oil is preferably circulated throughholes in the off-center shaft into the cylindrical piston hollow portionfrom where the oil travels through holes arranged through the pistonsides into the housing cylindrical center cavity, below the expansionseals, thereby cooling and lubricating the moving parts therein. Thedescribed oil flow through the off-center shaft also travels through theenlarged portion of the drive shaft to lubricate and cool the bearingcoupling of the drive shaft through the housing wall. From the housingcylindrical center cavity the oil flow travels through a drain openingback to an oil cooling and filtering arrangement for recirculationthrough the engine.

Additional objects and features of the invention will become apparentfrom the following detailed description, taken together with theaccompanying drawings.

THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the rotary engineof the present invention with an oil circulation system therefore shownin schematic;

FIG. 2, a profile sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. I; and

FIG. 3, a profile perspective view of a section of the cylindricalpiston and a radial vane of the present invention;

FIG. 3a, a profile sectional view taken along the line 3a3a of theradial vane of FIG. 3;

FIG. 4, a sectional view taken along curved line 4-4 of FIG. 3, exposingthe piston expansion seal arrangement of the present invention;

FIG. 5, a sectional view taken along the line 55 of FIG. 4;

FIGS. 6-11 are profile sectional views of the rotary engine of thepresent invention, wherein the engine interior is exposed to illustratethe firing sequence of one chamber of the rotary engine taken atsequential angular increments of travel of the off-center shaft, shownas a line drawn between the centers of the drive and off-center shaftscommencing at a point 10 clockwise from a zero point at the top of theengine and going through of arc.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawings:

A preferred form of the rotary engine 10 of the present invention isshown in the exploded view of FIG. 1 with a portion of the engineoperation cycle shown in FIGS. 6-11. While the rotary engine 10 is shownherein as being arranged as an internal combustion engine, it should beobvious that by appropriate modifications, the invention could beadapted for use with steam; could be used as an air compressor; or as afluid pump.

Commencing at the far left side of the exploded view of FIG. I, therotary engine 10 is arranged within a housing 11 formed having acylindrical center cavity 12 therein. The housing 11 is open along oneside thereof to receive the rotary engine 10 internal components, with aside plate 13 aligned to close off the cylindrical center cavity 12 whenthe engine internal components are properly arranged therein. Six bolts14 are shown in FIG. 1, aligned for insertion through holes 15 formed inboth the side plate 13 and the housing 11. Nuts 16 are shown also inFIG. 1, aligned with the ends 14a of bolts 14 to be turned thereover,securing the side plate 13 to the housing 11 open side, closing thecentral cavity 12.

A closed interior sidewall 17 of the housing 11 is shown in FIG. Ihaving a shoulder 18 arranged in the center thereof, which shoulder 18projects from the wall into the cylindrical central cavity 12 at anormal angle therefrom. A first hole 19, shown in FIG. 1, is formedthrough the housing sidewall 17 and shoulder 18, which first hole iscenter counterbored through the shoulder 18, forming a larger secondhole 20. A face 21 is thereby formed between the first and second holes19 and 20, extending at a normal angle from each of the respectiveadjacent hole edges to contain as a seat a side 24a of an enlargedportion 24 of a drive shaft 23. A standard type roller bearing 22, FIG.1, is arranged within the second hole to support the outer circumferenceof the enlarged portion 24 of the drive shaft 23 seated thereon.

The drive shaft 23, additional to the enlarged portion 24, consists of acenter shaft that projects outwardly at a normal angle from the centerof the side 24a of the enlarged portion 24, and of an off-center shaft26 that projects also at a normal angle from an off-center point on theopposite side 24b of the enlarged portion 24. Both the center andoff-center shafts 25 and 26 extend parallel to one another from oppositesides of the enlarged portion 24. In assembling the rotary engine 10,the drive shaft center shaft 25 is fitted through the second hole 20 andis journaled into the first hole 19 with the outer circumference of thedrive shaft enlarged portion 24 seated against the interior race of theroller bearing 22 with the side 24a of the enlarged portion 24 restingagainst the face 21. The eccentric shaft 26 thereby extends into thehousing central cavity 12 to receive a center opening 28 ofa rotor orcylindrical piston 27, hereinafter referred to as cylindrical piston,axi- I ally journaled thereon. A standard type roller bearing 29 isarranged within the center opening 28 such that an inner race thereofreceives the eccentric shaft 26.

With the cylindrical piston 27 journaled onto the eccentric shaft 26,movement of the cylindrical piston is confined to an eccentric circularpath having as a radius the distance between the respective centers ofthe center and off-center shafts 25 and 26. In operation, as will beexplained in detail later herein, the cylindrical piston 27 is urgedaway from a cylindrical wall 31 of the center cavity 12 such that thepiston outer circumference, hereinafter referred to as piston reactionsurface 30, appears to roll therealong, thereby rotating the offcentershaft 26 journaled thereto. Movement of the cylindrical piston 27through its eccentric circular path thereby induces a full circlerotation of the off-center shaft 26 from whence is derived a full circleof rotation of the drive shaft 23.

During travel of the cylindrical piston within the housing cavity 12,opposite points on the piston reaction surface 30 and the cylindricalwall 31 are therefore brought into and out of close proximity to oneanother, altering the area therebetween from a point where therespective surfaces are closely proximate to a point of full expansion.

Radial vanes 33, shown in FIGS. 1-3, are included with the cylindricalpiston 27 as end walls dividing the area between the piston reactionsurface 30 and cavity cylindrical wall 31 into individual sub-chambersa, 35b, and 350, FIGS. 6-11.

The radial vanes 33, included with the cylindrical piston 27, arearranged in a sliding relationship within radial slots 32 spacedequidistantly around the cylindrical piston. Each of the radial slots 32is formed to extend at a normal angle inwardly from the piston reactionsurface 30, and includes sealing means thereacross that will bedescribed in detail later herein.

Each of the aforementioned radial vanes 33 are composed of a radial vanebody 34, having a head 36 formed as a flat plate that extends atapproximately a normal angle across the top end 34a thereof, to standbeyond the piston reaction surface 30, resting within one of the seats39, 39', or 39" spaced around the cylindrical wall 31. The individualheads 36, as shown best in the expanded view of FIG. 3, are secured infloating arrangement to the ends 34a of the individual vane bodies 34 bya plurality of pins 50, shown in dotted lines in FIG. 3, and as a solidrepresentation in FIG. 3a, that extend from the vane body end 34a in theplane thereof, and are fitted into holes 36a. Shown in FIG. 3a, theholes 36a are preferably formed to flare outwardly from a lesserdiameter to greater diameters within the head 36 such that the head 36floating thereon can be canted slightly with respect to the vane body34. Integrity of the floating connection between the head 36 and thevane body end 34a is maintained by pivot seals 51 that are arranged inappropriate slots 51a in the head 36 to extend across the vane body end34a on either side thereof. Should the head 36 be canted with respect tothe vane body end 34a, the one seal 51 will always be compressed tomaintain sealing engagement between the head 36 and the vane body end.Of course, more than one seal 51 could be included along each side ofthe radial vane body 34 to further insure against the breaching of theintegrity of the vane body-to-head connection. The mounting of theindividual head 36 and vane body end 34a with seals 51 allows canting ofthe vane head 36 out of a normal attitude with respect to the vane bodyend while denying passage to an expansion medium. The head 36 willtherefore be maintained closely against the surface of the particularseat 39, 39', or 39", FIG. 1, even though the radial vane head 36 shouldbe canted with respect to the vane body 34 as the radial vane 33 ismoved back and forth, as will be explained later herein, duringtranslation of the cylindrical piston 27 through its eccentric circularpath.

The end 34b of the vane body 34, opposite to the top end 34a thereof,has a foot 37 secured at a normal angle across a portion thereof, FIGS.1 and 2. Shown best in FIG. 1 and FIGS. 6-11, the feet 37 contact andslide back and forth on guide surfaces 38 that are spaced around theouter circumference of the cylindrical shoulder 18.

Translation of the cylindrical piston 27 through its circular path movesthe cylindrical piston radial slots 32 up and down on the radial vanebodies 34; moves the vane feet 37 back and forth between the housingside wall 17 and an opposite face of an inset portion 27c of thecylindrical piston 27 over the respective opposite guide surface 38; andmoves the head 36 thereof back and forth over a flat surface 39a of anopposite seat 39, 39', or 39", FIGS. 6-11, in the central cavitycylindrical wall 31.

It should, of course, be obvious the individual cam surfaces 38 shouldbe formed to have the same dimension as do the seat surfaces 39a, and tobe both opposite and parallel to one another.

Inlet and exhaust ports 40a and 40b, respectively, are arranged in thesurfaces 39a of the seats 39, 39', and 39", and are selectively openedand closed by movement of the vane head 36 thereover during cylindricalpiston 27 translation. The individual vane heads 36 therefore operate asvalve heads for opening or closing the ports 40a and 40b into aparticular sub-chamber 35a, 35b, or 350.

As was outlined earlier herein, the rotary engine 10 is operated toproduce a rotational output by displacing the cylindrical piston 27 awayfrom the cavity cylindrical wall 31. Any medium capable of expandingbetween the cylindrical piston reaction surface 30 and the cavitycylindrical wall 31 will therefore move the cylindrical piston 27through its eccentric circular path to rotate the off-center shaft 26and connected center shaft 25, which expansion medium, it should beunderstood, will be contained within a particular subchamber 35a, 35b,and 35c by the vane head seals 51, by radial vane end expansion seals52, and by cylindrical piston chamber expansion seals 53, whosearrangement and function will be explained in detail later herein. Anexpansion medium that is preferred for use in the embodiment of therotary engine 10, described herein, is the timed combustion of afuel-air mixture within the particular sub-chamber 35a, 35!), or 350.Such combustion is initiated by introduction of a spark from one of thespark plugs 41, FIG. 1, shown turned into appropriate holes 42 of thesub-chambers. Such explosions of a fuel-air mixture within a particularsubchamber 35a, 35b, or 350 are timed or synchronized so that thecylindrical piston reaction surface 30 will be forced away from thecenter cavity cylindrical wall 31, translating the cylindrical piston 27through its eccentric circular path, inducing a continuous rotation ofthe drive shaft 23.

While sequential combustion of a fuel-air mixture within the chambers a,35b, and 350 is the preferred form of expansion medium, it should beobvious that other expansion mediums such as steam or a pressurizedliquid could be introduced therein to expand appropriately thecylindrical piston 27 reaction surface away from the cylindrical wall.Such substitution of expansion medium would, however, necessitaterearrangement of the inlet and exhaust ports and 40b, respectively withthe head 36.

It should, of course, be obvious that sequential introduction of anexpansion medium within the subchambers 35a, 35b, and 35c could induceforces tending to cant the cylindrical piston 27, causing the piston towobble around its journal mounting with the eccentric shaft 26. Toprohibit such unwanted cylindrical piston displacement, spaced reactionbearings 43 are secured to extend normally outwardly from a side 27b ofthe cylindrical piston 27 to continuously contact and travel along oneof the circular tracks 44 that are formed as spaced cylindrical holes inthe inner surface of the side plate 13. Shown best in the sectional viewof FIG. 2, each reaction bearing consists of a post 45 that extendsoutwardly at a normal angle from the cylindrical piston side 27b. Aroller 46 is journaled over the post 45 and is maintained axiallythereover by a pin 47 that is inserted longitudinally into the end 45aof the post 45 such that the outer circumference thereof contacts toretain the roller 46 thereon. The roller 46 is arranged to continuouslyengage the opposite circular track 44, rolling thereover as thecylindrical piston 27 is translated through its eccentric circular path.

Expansion seals 52 and 53, previously mentioned herein, are arranged,respectively, with the radial vanes 33 and the cylindrical piston 27 toexpand between the vanes and piston into contact with opposite surfacesto maintain the integrity of the individual sub-chambers 35a, 35b, and35c. Expansion seals 52, shown best in FIGS. 2 and 3, are preferablyarranged within longitudinal grooves 52a, formed in the opposite sides340 of the radial vane body 34, and are biased by leaf springs 52boutwardly therefrom to engage the housing sidewall 17 and the innersurface of the side plate 13. The expansion seals 53, like the expansionseals 52, are biased outwardly by leaf springs 53a from arcuate grooves53b, FIGS. 3 and 4, that are formed in opposite sides 27a and 27b of thecylindrical piston 27 and from grooves 530 that extend across the radialslots 32. The expansion seal 53, FIG. 4, is formed from right angle sealsections having interlocking edges 53d, FIG. 5, that are arranged tooverlap one another sliding such that the expansion seal 53, under theurgings of the leaf springs 53a, will simultaneously expand outwardlyfrom the cylindrical piston sides 27a and 27b to contact the housingcylindrical chamber 12 walls, and will expand from the sides of theradial slots 32 into contact with the radial vane body portions 34.During such outward expansion, the expansion seal 53 integrity ismaintained by the one interlocking seal section edge 53d sliding overthe other, prohibiting passage of the expansion medium therebetween.

Shown best in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cylindrical piston 27 of the presentinvention is preferably hollow, having a continuous central cavity 55formed therein. Forming the cylindrical piston 27 with such a cavity, ofcourse, minimizes the mass of metal of the piston thereby limiting theforces of inertia involved in translating the piston through itseccentric circular path, and makes possible the incorporation of anoiling system therewith, involving introducing an oil flow through thepiston cavity 55 to both cool and lubricate the moving parts duringrotary engine 10 operation.

The above mentioned oiling system of the present invention involvesforming a longitudinal bore 56, shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1, throughthe off-center shaft 25 and partially through the drive shaft enlargedportion 24, and connecting that bore 56 on its open end 56a to an end ofan oil inlet line 57. A plurality of radial holes 58a and 58b are formedin the respective off-center shaft and the enlarged portions 26 and 24of the drive shaft 23 that communicates with the longitudinal bore 56such that oil will pass therethrough. Holes 59a and 59b are formedthrough the respective roller bearings 29 and 22, receiving oil passingthrough the radial holes 580 and 58b, respectively. An oil flow throughthe eccentric shaft radial holes 58a, in part, flows around tolubricating the roller bearing 29 with the balance of the oil flowtraveling through openings 60, FIG. 2, into the cylindrical pistoncentral cavity 55. Oil flowing into the central cavity 55 circulatestherein, absorbing heat from the cylindrical piston 27, and then travelsout of the central cavity through a port 61 formed through an insetportion 27c of the piston side 270. Oil flowing from the cylindricalpiston 27 travels into the housing central cavity 12 between thecylindrical shoulder 18 and the walls of the inset portion 27c of thecylindrical piston, lubricating and cooling the moving parts therein,and then traveling out from the housing central cavity [2 through adrain hole 62 formed through the interior sidewall 17. The drain hole 62is connected to an oil return line 63 that ends in an oil storage andcooling tank 64, shown in schematic in FIG. 1, wherein the oil is cooledand filtered by screen 64a, shown in dotted lines, after which ittravels through a pump inlet 650 into an oil pump 65. The oil pump 65forces the oil flow back through the oil inlet line 57 to again travelthrough the rotary engine 10.

The oil flow, additional to passing in and through the cylindricalpiston 27, also travels through the holes 58b in the drive shaftenlarged portion 24, lubricating theroller bearing 22 and the adjacentcenter shaft 25, and

a bearing, not shown, used therewith, and passing by and through thebearing 22 and into the housing central cavity 12 for return through thedrain hole 62.

Of course, as desired, the longitudinal bore 56 could be extended, notshown, into the center shaft 25, and holes, not shown, formedtherethrough to lubricate the shaft outer circumference, and anybearing, not shown, arranged therewith. Alternatively, the longitudinalbore 56 could be extended, not shown, through the drive shaft 23 with anoil return line connected to the end of the center shaft 25.

The rotary engine of the present invention is assembled by joining theexploded components shown in FIG. 1, such that the individual radialvane body portions 34 fit into the individual radial slots 32 with therespective radial vane heads 36 engaging the seat surfaces 39a of therespective seat 39, 39', or 39" and the radial vane feet 37 travelwithin the inset portion 270 of the cylindrical piston 27 back and forthover the cam surfaces 28. Translation of the cylindrical piston 27through its circular path therefore moves the individual slide vane 37back and forth over the cam surface 38, and the sliding vane valve head36 back and forth over the seat surface 39a opening and closing offselectively the inlet and exhaust ports 40a and 40b therein.

FIGS. 6-11 are included herein to illustrate a partial cycle ofoperation of the rotary engine 10, with FIG. 6 illustrating thebeginning of a combustion cycle within the sub-chamber 3511 as reflectedby a line drawn through the centers of the center shaft and offcentershaft 26 that forms a 10 radial angle with a compass zero pointbisecting the seat 39. A fuel-air mixture, it should be assumed, hasbeen compressed in the chamber 350 in FIG. 6 with the adjacent radialvane heads 36 acting as valve heads, having closed off the adjacentinlet port 400 formed through the surface 39a of the seat 39. Themixture within the chamber 350 is then exploded by introducing therein aspark from the spark plug 41.

FIG. 7 shows the drive shaft 23 having been rotated by the explosionwithin the sub-chamber 35a such that the line between the centers of thecenter shaft 25 and off-center shaft 26 forms a 40 radial angle withrespect to the zero line established through the adjacent seat 39. Theexpanding gas, at this point in the cycle, has translated thecylindrical piston away from the central cavity cylindrical wall 31,rotating in a clockwise direction the drive shaft 23.

FIGS. 8-10 show the off-center shaft 26 rotated in response to theexpanding gases in sub-chamber 35a through 70, l00, and 130 angularattitudes wtih respect to the established zero line, further spreadingapart the piston reaction surface from the central cavity cylindricalwall 31, rotating the drive shaft 23 while the inlet and exhaust ports40a and 40b remain closed.

FIG. 11 shows the chamber a fully open, with the drive shaft 23 rotatedto a point where the centerline between centers of the off-center andcenter shafts 26 and 25 form a 160 radial angle with the establishedzero line. In this figure, piston 27 has been translated through itseccentrical circular path such that the reaction surface 30 is at itsfurthest point from central cavity cylindrical wall 31, fully openingthe cavity 35a, and the valve head 36 in the seat 39' has, at this pointin the cycle, begun to move off from the exhaust port 40b, formed in theseat face 390, such that the combusted gases in the chamber 35a arebeginning to be exhausted therefrom.

Continued rotation of the drive shaft 23 will move the piston reactionsurface 30 back into close proximity with the central cavity cylindricalwall 31, further opening the exhaust port 40b in the seat 39', andforcing the exhausted gases therethrough; whereafter, continued rotationdisplaces the head off from the port 40a in the seat 39 which will beopened to admit a fuel-air mixture, and again closes the exhaust port401) in the seat 39. The admitted gas-air mixture is, of course,pressurized by continued cylindrical piston translation through itseccentric circular path until the 10 radial angular attitude is againattained, whereat the mixture is ignited, as has been explained earlierherein, and the described cycle repeated.

Although only the cyclicoperation of the rotary engine 10 with respectto sub-chamber 35a has been explained in detail herein, it should beobvious that the functioning of the engine, with respect to the othersubchambers 35b and 35c is the same, with combustion occurringsequentially in each chamber. Such sequential combustion is, of course,initiated by the spark plugs 41, with timing for plug firing, it shouldbe assumed, provided by standard ignition timing means, not shown, tocoincide with when the cylindrical piston 27 arrives at an optimumlocation within the specified chamber 35a, 35b, and 35c. Although acarburetor system for mixing and transmitting a fuel-air mixture to theinlet ports 40a is not shown herein, it should be assumed that such acarburetor system would be a standard item, and could be easilyincorporated with the rotary engine 10 of the present invention.

As was mentioned earlier herein, the invention of a rotary engine asdisclosed herein can easily be modified for use with steam or a fluidunder pressure. While a utilization of a different expansion mediumwould obviously involve changing appropriately the embodiment of therotary engine 10 described herein, it is believed that the oil flowsystem, the respective radial vane head and cylindrical piston seals,and the radial vane floating head construction would operatesuccessfully with any pressure medium.

Shown in FIG. 1, spaced holes 66 are formed through the housing 11 andthe side plate 13 for passing an engine coolant therethrough.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention has shown herein toinclude three spaced radial vanes 33, spaced appropriately to form threechambers 35a, 35b, and 35c within the one center cavity 12. It should,of course, be obvious that more or less than three such radial vanescould be incorporated with the cylindrical piston 27, whichincorporation would not depart from the subject matter coming within thescope of this invention.

The preferred embodiment of the rotary engine 10 of the presentinvention herein involves only one center cavity 12 and one cylindricalpiston 27, moving eccentrically therein. While such a rotary engine 10would function and provide a rotary power output therefrom, it ispreferable to fabricate such an engine wtih a plurality of such centercavities 12 having cylindrical pistons 27 therein arranged alongside oneanother, each acting on a common drive shaft; which arrangement wouldnot depart from the subject matter coming within the scope of thisinvention.

Although a preferred form of my invention has been herein disclosed, itis to be understood that the present disclosure is made by way ofexample, and that variations are possible without departing from thesubject matter coming within the scope of the following claims, whichsubject matter I regard as my invention.

I claim:

1. A rotary engine comprising a housing having a cylindrical cavityformed therein;

a drive shaft having center and off-center shafts extending oppositelyto one another outwardly from opposite sides of an enlarged body portionthereof, which drive shaft is journaled through a wall of said housingsuch that said off-center shaft extends to within said housingcylindrical cavity;

a cylindrical piston axially journaled to said offcenter shaft;

a plurality of radial vanes arranged to extend from said cylindricalpiston to contact the cylindrical surface of said housing cylindricalcavity;

plurality of radial slots formed in space arrangement around saidcylindrical piston for receiving said plurality of radial vanes;

expansion seal means arranged between said plurality of radial slots andsaid plurality of radial vanes for prohibiting leakage of an expansionmedium therebetween;

expansion seal means arranged with said plurality of radial vanes forengaging the opposite housing cylindrical cavity walls, prohibitingleakage of an expansion medium;

expansion seal means arranged with the cylindrical piston for engagingsaid opposite housing cylindrical cavity walls, prohibiting leakage ofan expansion medium;

a plurality of spaced seats formed in said cylindrical wall of saidhousing cylindrical cavity, arranged to receive ends to said pluralityof radial vanes, each having inlet and exhaust ports formed therein;

valve head means flexibly coupled across each of said plurality ofradial vanes as the seat engaging ends thereof, arranged to be capableof canting from a normal angle with each of said radial vanes formaintaining close contact between said individual valve head means andseat;

seal means arranged with each said radial vane for prohibiting leakageof an expansion medium between said valve head means and its connectionacross said individual radial vane; and means for lubricating andcooling the moving parts of said rotary engine.

2. A rotary engine as recited in claim l, wherein the valve head meansend of each individual radial vane is biased into engagement with saidcylindrical wall of said housing cavity by a shoulder that projects froman inner wall of said housing into said cylindrical cavity, whichshoulder has spaced cam surfaces formed around the outer circumferencethereof, opposite and parallel to the seats that engage the ends of theindividual radial vanes opposite to the valve head means ends thereof.

3. A rotary engine as recited in claim 2, further including foot meanssecured across the cam surface engaging ends of the individual radialvanes for sliding back and forth on said cam surface; and

a counterbore formed in the side of the cylindrical piston toaccommodate the shoulder and the foot means secured across theindividual radial vanes.

4. A rotary engine as recited in claim 1, further including a pluralityof spaced reaction formed each having a roller portion that extends froma side of the cylindrical piston; and

a plurality of guide cavities fromed as spaced cylindrical holes in theside opposite thereto of the housing cylindrical cavity that receivessaid reaction bearings such that the roller portions thereof each travelalong a cylindrical wall of the guide cavity opposite thereto.

5. A rotary engine as recited in claim 1, wherein three radial vanes areincluded as the plurality of radial vanes of the invention; and

three radial slots are formed in spaced arrangement around thecylindrical piston as the plurality of radial slots of the invention.

6. A rotary engine as recited in claim 1, wherein the seal meansarranged between each said individual radial vane and said individualradial slot and the seal means arranged with the cylindrical pistonconsist of a plurality of continuous seals, each broken strategicallysuch that the broken ends thereof overlap each other to allow theindividual seal to be simultaneously expanded outwardly, during whichexpansion the overlapping ends of each said strategic break slide overone another maintaining seal inmeans for lubricating the moving parts ofthe engine consist of a source of lubricating oil under pressure;

a longitudinal bore formed in the drive shaft having radial holes formedin said off-center shaft that connect to said longitudinal bore;

means for connecting said source of lubricating oil to said longitudinalbore;

a continuous cavityformed within said cylindrical piston;

at least one hole formed through the journaled connection of saidcylindrical piston with said offcenter shaft and into said cylindricalpiston continuous cavity;

at least one hole formed in the side of said cylindrical pistoncommunicating with said continuous cavity therein;

an oil return opening formed through the housing communicating with thehousing cylindrical cavity therein; and

an oil return line connecting said oil return opening to said source oflubricating oil.

1. A rotary engine comprising a housing having a cylindrical cavityformed therein; a drive shaft having center and off-center shaftsextending oppositely to one another outwardly from opposite sides of anenlarged body portion thereof, which drive shaft is journaled through awall of said housing such that said off-center shaft extends to withinsaid housing cylindrical cavity; a cylindrical piston axially journaledto said off-center shaft; a plurality of radial vanes arranged to extendfrom said cylindrical piston to contact the cylindrical surface of saidhousing cylindrical cavity; a plurality of radial slots formed in spacearrangement around said cylindrical piston for receiving said pluralityof radial vanes; expansion seal means arranged between said plurality ofradial slots and said plurality of radial vanes for prohibiting leakageof an expansion medium therebetween; expansion seal means arranged withsaid plurality of radial vanes for engaging the opposite housingcylindrical cavity walls, prohibiting leakage of an expansion medium;expansion seal means arranged with the cylindrical piston for engagingsaid opposite housing cylindrical cavity walls, prohibiting leakage ofan expansion medium; a plurality of spaced seats formed in saidcylindrical wall of said housing cylindrical cavity, arranged to receiveends to said plurality of radial vanes, each having inlet and exhaustports formed therein; valve head means flexibly coupled across each ofsaid plurality of radial vanes as the seat engaging ends thereof,arranged to be capable of canting from a normal angle with each of saidradial vanes for maintaining close contact between said individual valvehead means and seat; seal means arranged with each said radial vane forprohibiting leakage of an expansion medium between said valve head meansand its connection across said individual radial vane; and means forlubricating and cooling the moving parts of said rotary engine.
 2. Arotary engine as recited in claim 1, wherein the valve head means end ofeach individual radial vane is biased into engagement with saidcylindrical wall of said housing cavity by a shoulder that projects froman inner wall of said housing into said cylindrical cavity, whichshoulder has spaced cam surfaces formed around the outer circumferencethereof, opposite and parallel to the seats that engage the ends of theindividual radial vanes opposite to the valve head means ends thereof.3. A rotary engine as recited in claim 2, further including foot meanssecured across the cam surface engaging ends of the individual radialvanes for sliding back and forth on said cam surface; and a counterboreformed in the side of the cylindrical piston to accommodate the shoulderand the foot meaNs secured across the individual radial vanes.
 4. Arotary engine as recited in claim 1, further including a plurality ofspaced reaction formed each having a roller portion that extends from aside of the cylindrical piston; and a plurality of guide cavities fromedas spaced cylindrical holes in the side opposite thereto of the housingcylindrical cavity that receives said reaction bearings such that theroller portions thereof each travel along a cylindrical wall of theguide cavity opposite thereto.
 5. A rotary engine as recited in claim 1,wherein three radial vanes are included as the plurality of radial vanesof the invention; and three radial slots are formed in spacedarrangement around the cylindrical piston as the plurality of radialslots of the invention.
 6. A rotary engine as recited in claim 1,wherein the seal means arranged between each said individual radial vaneand said individual radial slot and the seal means arranged with thecylindrical piston consist of a plurality of continuous seals, eachbroken strategically such that the broken ends thereof overlap eachother to allow the individual seal to be simultaneously expandedoutwardly, during which expansion the overlapping ends of each saidstrategic break slide over one another maintaining seal integrity duringexpansion thereof; arcuate continuous grooves formed in said cylindricalpiston between and across said individual radial slots to maintain saidcontinuous seals therein; spring means for biasing said continuous sealsoutwardly from said arcuate continuous grooves into engagement with saidindividual radial vanes and the walls of the housing cylindrical cavity.7. A rotary engine as recited in claim 1, wherein the means forlubricating the moving parts of the engine consist of a source oflubricating oil under pressure; a longitudinal bore formed in the driveshaft having radial holes formed in said off-center shaft that connectto said longitudinal bore; means for connecting said source oflubricating oil to said longitudinal bore; a continuous cavity formedwithin said cylindrical piston; at least one hole formed through thejournaled connection of said cylindrical piston with said off-centershaft and into said cylindrical piston continuous cavity; at least onehole formed in the side of said cylindrical piston communicating withsaid continuous cavity therein; an oil return opening formed through thehousing communicating with the housing cylindrical cavity therein; andan oil return line connecting said oil return opening to said source oflubricating oil.